1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a method of acquisition of software programs by microcomputers.
The invention also relates to a data-processing system for the acquisition of software.
The invention can be applied notably to microcomputers known as portable or pocket computers, i.e. computers that can easily be carried about and can work with independent power supplies (such as cells and batteries).
2. Description of the Prior Art
To obtain several hours of independent operation, it has been necessary to remove elements that consume a great deal of power from these microcomputers. In particular, the hard disk has been replaced by purely electronic memory and the magnetic disk drives have been replaced by drives for the reading of removable mass memories or mass memory cards. These memory cards are sometimes called PC-cards or again PCMCIA cards after the name of the corresponding standard ("Personal Computer Memory Card International Association" 1030B East Duane Avenue, Sunnyvale, Calif.). These cards have several memory chips and a connector at the end of a card (68-pin female connector) that can be plugged into a corresponding connector of the drive of the microcomputer. The connections are such that the memory can be addressed by a parallel input-output port of the microcomputer. These cards are compact: they have the format of a credit card with a thickness of 3 to 5 millimeters, and access to them is obtained very speedily. Finally, their total memory capacity may attain several tens of megabytes.
Besides, to protect a computer against use by an unauthorized person, certain microcomputers also have a drive for the reading of chip cards. The security system then consists in preventing the use of the microcomputer if the user has not furnished the appropriate confidential codes or if he has not inserted a chip card into this drive.
The distribution of application software programs to microcomputers is usually done by magnetic diskettes. In the case of these portable microcomputers which no longer have magnetic disk drives but PCMIA card drives, these card drives are used to carry out the distribution of the application software programs: a user purchases a PCMCIA card, into which an application software program has been loaded, from a vendor.
However, in practice, PCMCIA cards with mass storage units are very costly: they cost up to some thousands of francs depending on the memory capacity, thus making the cost of the smallest application software program prohibitive.